The Monster Within - Book 1

Chapter 48

**Several months later**

I clutch onto Apollos hand, knowing if he were anyone else I would have broken a bone by now.

'You're doing great Cassandra.' Apollo tells me as he runs his free hand through my hair, pushing it away from my face.

'I can't...I can't do this.' I tell him, panting for breath.

'Of course you can, you're doing it. You're doing so good, baby.' He encourages.

I let out a scream from the pain, that sounds more like a howl as I feel an immense pressure that makes me feel like I'm going to burst open.

'Keep pushing.' A doctor tells me calmly from the bottom of the bed. 'You're doing very well.' He reassures.

I let out a roar as I continue to push, wanting this to end. I throw my head back on to the firm mattress and look up to the ceiling as another contraction squeezes me from the inside. I try to focus on the cool white above me to try and calm me, but it doesn't seem to be helping at all. I clench my teeth together and grab hold of the bed sheets in my fists as I absorb the aching pain between my thighs.

'Almost there. Just one more push.' The Doctor tells me.

The words feel me with a new found motivation, giving me the burst of energy I need as I know it's almost over. With everything I have, I give one more push, clutching my fists and scrunching my body before I feel the pressure ease. I lay on the bed panting as I try to lift my head to look down the bed.

The doctor holds onto a tiny baby, swaddling it in a cloth that the nurse hands to him.

'Here we are.' The doctor starts to say. 'A beautiful baby girl.'

I can't help but to look at Apollo and smile knowing how sure he was we were having a boy. But the moment passes very quickly when I feel the pressure quickly build again. The doctor hands the baby to the nurse as he readies himself for baby number two.

'Oh, this second baby isn't wasting anytime, they're coming now.' He announces.

I brace myself for what I assume was going to be another long delivery but no more than a few minutes pass when I feel the same pressure release, knowing that's it.

'Look that at. One of each. This one is a healthy baby boy.' The doctor announces.

I lift my head to look down to the next baby that's being wrapped in a cloth and placed in a bed next to his sister. My eyes then drift to Apollo to see the oversized smile spread across his face at the news. What he wanted. What he knew from the beginning. A boy and the next Alpha after him.

Apollo looks away from the babies to me and bends over the bed, kissing my forehead as my runs his hand through my hair.

'You did it baby.' He proudly whispers to me.

After everything is done the medical team leaves the room. Apollo and I are finally left alone with our new babies. Our new family.

We sit with them for a moment, finally having a family of my very own, when a thought hits me.

'Apollo?' I start to say.

'Yes?'

'I think I know what I want to call the babies.'

Before this time we hadn't known what we were having. We didn't keep up with our appointments after everything that happened. Apollo had a particularly hard time losing his brother, the last of his family. This is one of the few times I've seen him look happy and content since everything that happened.

'What was wrong with my suggestions?' He jokes.

'Cedrick or Ralph? They're awful.' I laugh back to him.

'Go on then... what are you thinking?'

'Well... I was thinking... and we don't have to, but I would like to call them Archer and Aroura?'

He doesn't say anything straight away and I'm sure I can see tears pool in the corner of his eyes as he stares towards where the babies lay. A feeling stabs me in the stomach as I feel like I've said something I shouldn't. Maybe it's too soon? Maybe he doesn't want to look at our children and be reminded of the family he's already lost?

'Apollo?' I call to him, pulling him out of his trance.

He blinks the tears away from his eyes as if they weren't there to begin with, as he looks back down to me. He pulls my hand into his and squeezes it as he tries to find his words.

'I'd like that. Very much.' He says with what looks like a pained smile.

'We don't have...' I start to say before he stops me.

'No. It's perfect Cassandra. Thank you.' He replies, brining my hand to his lips and lightly placing a light kiss there.

I smile back up at him happy that I've been able to give him this. Something that will breathe life back into his brother and sister through our children. It may not be the family he started with, but it's the beginning of something new and I for one, look forward to whatever happens next.

'So... what now?' I ask him.

'Apart from making a start on the next baby?' He jests.

'Apart from that.' I chuckle 'I mean, you can give me a couple of weeks at the very least.'

He looks at me with his hand still holding mine and takes a deep breath as he comes up with an answer to my question. His eyes meet mine and he holds me there in his gaze. With a sincere expression on his face he opens his mouth.

'We live.'